FIRST LOOK: The News in Brief, July 24, 2006

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Sarah Hall
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PAYING A VISIT: Taylor Hicks and the other top 10 Idol finalists scheduled to visit President George W. Bush in the Oval Office on Friday. It was unclear whether Katharine McPhee, who has yet to rejoin the Idols Live tour, would be well enough to make the trip.

WEEKEND UPDATE: Tina Fey announcing on the Tonight Show Friday she will not return to Saturday Night Live in the fall and will instead devote her focus to her new NBC show, 30 Rock. For her sake, we hope it's funny.

VICTORY:Tom Cruise winning his case against a cybersquatter, who was using the Website TomCruise.com to divert fans to another site selling goods and services that had no link to the actor. We eagerly await the unveiling of the all-new TomCruise.com.

REUPPED: Fox picking up third seasons of So You Think You Can Dance and Hell's Kitchen, the network announced Monday.

ROCK ON:Rod Stewart releasing his first rock album in eight years--Still the Same...Great Rock Classics of Our Time--on Oct. 10.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT:Dick Clark to be honored at next month's Emmy Awards in recognition of the 50th anniversary of American Bandstand's debut on ABC. The World's Oldest Teenager has maintained a low profile since being felled by a stroke in 2004.

STORK WATCH:Ani DiFranco expecting a baby with record producer Mike Napolitano, who coproduced her upcoming album, Reprieve. The singer said she is due in February.

CARNIVORE CALL-OUT: The Center for Consumer Freedom demanding that PETA spokesperson Pamela Anderson donate the proceeds from her partnership in Hollywood eatery BlackSteel to the American Liver Foundation, claiming it is hypocritical for the animal rights activist to earn money from a restaurant that serves ham-hock ravioli, lamb chops, lobster tails and foie gras, among other meaty offerings.

SURVIVAL SKILLS: Richard Hatch sent to a federal prison in Oklahoma to serve out his 51-month sentence for failing to pay taxes on his Survivor winnings and other income. Hatch's lawyer commenting that the prison is bad for his client because he "is an outdoor person." Had he also been a tax-paying person, he may not have encountered this inconvenience.

SUPERMAN RETURNS AGAIN?Superman Returns director Bryan Singer telling fans at Comic-Con that he has had discussions with Warner Bros. about directing a sequel for release in summer 2009. If at first you don't succeed, try, try again, we suppose.

WHO YOU CALLING A STALKER, STALKER? A woman John Cusack claims is stalking him taking out a court order preventing the actor from coming near her. Reverse psychology, perhaps?

KUDOS:Grey's Anatomy named Program of the Year at the TCA Awards Sunday and My Name Is Earl named Outstanding New Program of the Year. Lost winning Outstanding Achievement in Drama and Desperate Housewives winning, um, nothing.

AHOY!Pirates of the Caribbean topping the box office for the third straight weekend, adding another $35 million to its treasure chest. The movie has earned $322 million to date, making it the fastest movie ever to reach the $300 million milestone. Look out, Titanic!

SPIN GAME: The publicist for Los Lonely Boys claiming that the Saturday arrest of bassist Joey "JoJo" Sacarais Garza on charges that he assaulted his fiancée was all a misunderstanding. Carina Lyn, the fiancée in question, claiming that she and Garza were simply "being too loud." The musician was also charged with possession of less than two ounces of marijuana.

WHAT'S THAT SMELL? Kylie Minogue launching her own line of fragrances and other products, perfume maker Coty announced. Loco-lotion?

STARS ARE OUT: Natalie Portman, Kiefer Sutherland and Dr. Phil among the celebrity guest voices lined up for the 18th season of The Simpsons, Fox announced. Hey, if Kelsey Grammer got an Emmy out of it, why not?

SHOCKING, REALLY: Pete Doherty canceling a Babyshambles concert scheduled for Wednesday in Ibiza and returning to drug rehab, the tour promoter said Friday. This sudden display of common sense has us baffled.

KEEP AWAY: Colin Farrell seeking a restraining order against Dessarae Bradford, the woman who rushed the stage during his Tonight Show appearance Thursday. "My first stalker," Farrell told Jay Leno. We offer hearty congratulations on passing this momentous celebrity milestone.

JUST BEAUTIFUL: Forty minutes after being crowned Miss Universe on Sunday, Miss Puerto Rico Zuleyka Rivera Mendoza collapsing onstage during a post-pageant news conference. Pageant officials reporting that the 18-year-old beauty queen was "fine" and that she "had plenty to eat today." Right, and then pigs flew, hell froze over...

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